All Things 2021 Minnesota Vikings Off-Season Thread

[coolhandgopher]

As I see how the mock drafts are developing and the projected rush of QB's & pass catchers at the top of the draft, I'm cautiously optimistic that the Vikings could draft a foundational, 10+ year, All-Pro type (ala Randall McDaniel) either at #14 or if they move up a few slots. Sewell or Slater would be great.

 

[Ope3]

Sounds like the 17th game is going to happen for 2021, and the Vikings are likely to go out to the Chargers. https://www.dailynorseman.com/2021/...s-week-minnesota-vikings-los-angeles-chargers

In 2022 we will get a 9th home game, and so on back-and-forth, at least until an 18th regular season game happens.

If I understand it correctly, the extra home game will alternate AFC this year and NFC the next, similar to the way the Big 10 does it with the East/West Divisions.

I am probably in the minority, but I don't like the schedule expanding.

- More garbage games at the end with teams either resting/tanking or just injury depleted
- Super Bowl will now be pushed to mid-February swallowing up other sports even more
- Tougher to compare eras with records

Also, there will be more Monday Night doubleheaders, and there's talk of adding Day After Thanksgiving games. I like the NFL just fine, but really less is more. Just my opinion.

 

[MplsGopher]

Precisely! Well said. Especially good points about Dozier himself.

Yes, Viking fans want the OL bolstered, and yes, it's true that the team has not done much to address the OL — as of YET.

Key word: YET. Stay calm, and stay tuned.

DON'T. CARE. HOW.

I WANT IT NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.....

 

[MplsGopher]

If I understand it correctly, the extra home game will alternate AFC this year and NFC the next, similar to the way the Big 10 does it with the East/West Divisions.

I am probably in the minority, but I don't like the schedule expanding.

- More garbage games at the end with teams either resting/tanking or just injury depleted
- Super Bowl will now be pushed to mid-February swallowing up other sports even more
- Tougher to compare eras with records

Also, there will be more Monday Night doubleheaders, and there's talk of adding Day After Thanksgiving games. I like the NFL just fine, but really less is more. Just my opinion.

TV $$$$, the almighty driving force ...

 

[RememberMurray]

TV $$$$, the almighty driving force ...

Nailed it. It's all about the Benjamins.

 

[Ope3]

TV $$$$, the almighty driving force ...

Yeah, true. I should skip watching the Vikings/Chargers game in an act of protest, but I know that I won't.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

If I understand it correctly, the extra home game will alternate AFC this year and NFC the next, similar to the way the Big 10 does it with the East/West Divisions.

I am probably in the minority, but I don't like the schedule expanding.

- More garbage games at the end with teams either resting/tanking or just injury depleted
- Super Bowl will now be pushed to mid-February swallowing up other sports even more
- Tougher to compare eras with records

Also, there will be more Monday Night doubleheaders, and there's talk of adding Day After Thanksgiving games. I like the NFL just fine, but really less is more. Just my opinion.

It's at least a small victory for season ticket holders because paying equal price for 2 preseason games per year is a sharp stick in the eye. At least every other year you'll get a 'real' meaningful game with this schedule change.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Nailed it. It's all about the Benjamins.

The players got a larger piece of the shared revenue this year so this was a logical compromise for the players. They went from 47% to 48% I think? That's a massive increase for the players so an extra game isn't that outrageous. I actually think I heard most of the injuries occur in preseason games anyway so you could argue this is a win-win all the way around. Even concession workers and stadium vendors are happy!

 

[RememberMurray]

The players got a larger piece of the shared revenue this year so this was a logical compromise for the players. They went from 47% to 48% I think? That's a massive increase for the players so an extra game isn't that outrageous. I actually think I heard most of the injuries occur in preseason games anyway so you could argue this is a win-win all the way around. Even concession workers and stadium vendors are happy!

If you ran an algorithm on it, I wonder what the cold, hard numbers say; would an NFL player be smart to retire after year 'X', rather than wait until he was no longer wanted as a player?

 

[forever a gopher]

The players got a larger piece of the shared revenue this year so this was a logical compromise for the players. They went from 47% to 48% I think? That's a massive increase for the players so an extra game isn't that outrageous. I actually think I heard most of the injuries occur in preseason games anyway so you could argue this is a win-win all the way around. Even concession workers and stadium vendors are happy!

The switch to a 17-game schedule means the revenue share will go up to 48.8%. They were set to receive 48%.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Collective_Bargaining_Agreement#:~:text=Players receive 48% of the,as in the previous CBA.

A quick back-of-the-napkin calculation- the new TV rights deal is worth $10 billion/year. At an increase of 0.8%, it means the players receive $4.88 billion of that instead of $4.8 billion. With 1,696 roster players, that equates to an average gain of $47,169 more per player to go to 17 games. Obviously, the contract amounts aren't equal among players, but at least it gives you a ballpark. Then you have to add in the rest of the leagues revenue. For the sake of argument, let's say everything else is equal to the TV deal, at $10 billion. That means on average, a player will be making approximately $100k more in a 17 game schedule than a 16 game schedule. For reference, the average player salary in 2020 was $860,000. While nothing to sneeze at, if I'm a star player, risking injury and already making good money, I can't say I like it.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/01/heres-what-the-average-nfl-players-makes-in-a-season.html#:~:text=The median salary for all,according to The Houston Chronicle.

 

[MplsGopher]

Don't the players essentially just get a 17th paycheck at the same rate as 16 checks? Probably not that simple.

 

[MplsGopher]

For reference, the average player salary in 2020 was $860,000. While nothing to sneeze at, if I'm a star player, risking injury and already making good money, I can't say I like it.

Will these 17th games be at the end of the schedule this year? Could see teams just rest starters?

Going forward though, I assume the 17th game will be baked into it somewhere in the middle.


I think as more and more games are added, teams are going to need to start strategizing over when and how to rest certain players, even if they could go. Wear and tear vs fresh legs for playoffs, or a critical game to get into the playoffs, and what not.

 

[howeda7]

If they wanted an 18th week for TV, they should have just added a 2nd bye week. They did that for a few years in the 90's.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

As I see how the mock drafts are developing and the projected rush of QB's & pass catchers at the top of the draft, I'm cautiously optimistic that the Vikings could draft a foundational, 10+ year, All-Pro type (ala Randall McDaniel) either at #14 or if they move up a few slots. Sewell or Slater would be great.

That would seem to be the play as a DL has never been drafted in Round 1 by Speilman/Zimmer previously - one can only hope it continues.

 

[MplsGopher]

If they wanted an 18th week for TV, they should have just added a 2nd bye week. They did that for a few years in the 90's.

Ok sure. The owners wanted more meaningful home games, as well. Yeah they sell them now as part of the season ticket package ... and maybe they even claim that the price is the same. But far fewer people go to them and no one really believes they factor the price like that.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

With 3 pre-season games, it will be interesting to see how clubs determine playing time for the starters.

with 4 pre-season games, it was 1st game, starters play one series. 2nd game, starters play 1 quarter. 3rd game, starters play 1 half. 4th game, starters don't play.

Now, with 3 pre-season games, I could see the starters playing a little longer in the 1st pre-season game - maybe go a quarter in the 1st game, a half in the 2nd game, and maybe play one quarter in the 3rd game, then turn it over to the scrubs. Might make the pre-season games slightly more watchable.

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

If they wanted an 18th week for TV, they should have just added a 2nd bye week. They did that for a few years in the 90's.

This method is way better, good idea.

I don't like the un-even schedule either. The NFL had the best, and fairest way to schedule.

Now teams are going to get screwed due to having an extra road game

 

[MplsGopher]

Owners reply with: "you've always been paying for 10 home dates"

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

This method is way better, good idea.

I don't like the un-even schedule either. The NFL had the best, and fairest way to schedule.

Now teams are going to get screwed due to having an extra road game

But, teams in each conference will have the same amount of home & road games.

The only inter-conference playoff game is the Super Bowl, which is supposed to be neutral (this year was an exception). Therefore, for seeding, every team is on an even playing field home/road-wise.

 

[howeda7]

But, teams in each conference will have the same amount of home & road games.

The only inter-conference playoff game is the Super Bowl, which is supposed to be neutral (this year was an exception). Therefore, for seeding, every team is on an even playing field home/road-wise.

It's not unfair. Just unnecessary. With 7 play-off teams and only one 1st round bye, you're going to see teams sitting starters for 2-3 weeks now in some cases. Another bye week would keep teams healthier and you'd still get almost the same $ from the TV networks.

 

[MplsGopher]

It's not unfair. Just unnecessary. With 7 play-off teams and only one 1st round bye, you're going to see teams sitting starters for 2-3 weeks now in some cases. Another bye week would keep teams healthier and you'd still get almost the same $ from the TV networks.

Yes, but owners now get full fan participation for 9 home games a year, every other year, instead of 8 home games a year both years. That helps stadium vendors and people who clean, serve food, help out, etc.

Strategizing over when to rest important players, just will become more and more a part of the overall winning strategy.

 

[howeda7]

Yes, but owners now get full fan participation for 9 home games a year, every other year, instead of 8 home games a year both years. That helps stadium vendors and people who clean, serve food, help out, etc.

Strategizing over when to rest important players, just will become more and more a part of the overall winning strategy.

They're reducing preseason games so not much net gain on tickets.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

They're reducing preseason games so not much net gain on tickets.

There won't necessarily be a net gain on ticket sales, at least not season ticket sales, those are already baked into your season total price. But there will most certainly be a healthy increase in revenue from everything else; concessions, hotels, restaurants, parking, et al. The preseason games are such a hard sell to the fans, tough to swallow paying same price for those as the marquis games on the schedule.

Not sure I care that much about arguing the merits of 17 games vs 16 games on the regular season schedule, playoff implications, season records, etc but in every other aspect, it's hard to paint as anything but a win for most parties involved. At the end of the day, there will be more butts in seats, more beer sold, more TV's tuning in for more weeks, everybody wins.

 

[BleedGopher]

Skol Vikes!!

 

[MplsGopher]

F'king idiot. Expect him to be released soon. Damn!

Well Hughes ... if you were ever going to have a shot to do something, this is flipping it man.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Sam Danold?

Any ineptest from the board GMs in trading for him if the Jets take a QB @ #2 as expected.

He is still only 23, has experience as a starter and probably could be had for one or two middle round picks - the Jets won some games down the stretch despite not having a legit #1 WR or RB. He was old front office's QB, so I expect him to be moved in some form of fashion. I also think our current back up QBs blow.

I''ll hang up and listen.

Jets trade Sam Darnold to Panthers, create clear path to take a QB at No. 2 in 2021 NFL draft

Darnold is being traded for three draft picks. The highest is a 2022 second-rounder. And BYU QB Zach Wilson could be the Jets' next QB.

sports.yahoo.com

Welp - I'll give myself on the pat on the back for my Darnold post as I picked Cleveland State to go to the Sweet 16 - SMH @ Gates insanity.

Good trade, I think, by the Panther for Darnold.

The question is if you were Spielman would you traded for him for a 6th this year and a 2nd an 4th in 2022? I'd have to stay yes.

 

[#2Gopher]

F'king idiot. Expect him to be released soon. Damn!

Well Hughes ... if you were ever going to have a shot to do something, this is flipping it man.

So much for the vetting process.

 

[RememberMurray]

Skol Vikes!!

Not good.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Not good.

It's not good for sure, but I'll let this play out before I jump off the second floor balcony and start pulling my hair out. It's 3rd degree felony family assault violence, not 2nd degree murder. We'll see what happens.

Good move for Darnold; I would have been interested in taking a flyer on him but one thing that scares me a little (and probably scares a defensive HC like Zim a LOT) is that Darnold turns the ball over. Always has, even at USC when he had better players than the players he was playing against. Not a good trait for a starting QB to have if you aren't elite in a lot of other areas. He's an upgrade from Teddy B, so it's worth the shot for the Panthers. Here's hoping the guy gets it together

 

[short ornery norwegian]

It's not good for sure, but I'll let this play out before I jump off the second floor balcony and start pulling my hair out. It's 3rd degree felony family assault violence, not 2nd degree murder. We'll see what happens.

Good move for Darnold; I would have been interested in taking a flyer on him but one thing that scares me a little (and probably scares a defensive HC like Zim a LOT) is that Darnold turns the ball over. Always has, even at USC when he had better players than the players he was playing against. Not a good trait for a starting QB to have if you aren't elite in a lot of other areas. He's an upgrade from Teddy B, so it's worth the shot for the Panthers. Here's hoping the guy gets it together

Ogee - with all due respect, Gladney is done. If the Vikes keep him, the me too and cancel culture crowd will destroy the Vikes for supporting a guy who beats up women. The Vikes - and their corporate sponsors - want no part of that kind of publicity.

Assuming the charges are accurate, under league rules, Gladney is facing at the minimum a 6-game suspension. based on that alone, I think he's gone, because Zimmer is in "win-now" mode and he can't afford to wait 6 weeks to get a guy back from suspension.